With time running out, defensive
howlers from Jose Fonte and Guly do Prado gave Norwich an unlikely way
back through Johan Elmander and Robert Snodgrass.

And
they were within a whisker of an equaliser in stoppage time, only for
Alex Tettey’s slip to allow the Saints to break and score through Sam
Gallagher.

What Saints new
chairman Ralph Kruger must have made of his topsy-turvy first home game
is anyone’s guess.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino admitted his young side
badly need to concentrate. ‘It’s a great lesson we have to learn,’ he
said. ‘We controlled the game and when Rickie came on his contribution
was great, but we lost focus and laid down our guard.’

As
for Norwich, with the worst defensive record in the top flight, things
look grave. This was their 11th away defeat and with their last four
games of the season against Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and
Arsenal, Chris Hughton’s side are staring down a barrel.

One has to feel for Hughton, who was brutally honest after the Norwich fans turned on him.

‘For
the majority of the game, Southampton were better than us,’ said
Hughton. ‘It’s never nice hearing that kind of thing from the fans, but
it’s their club and they want to see us being more competitive.’

Gaston Ramirez,
making his first league start since New Year's Day, headed over inside
the opening 90 seconds and then provided the opening goal with just five
minutes on the clock.

Flyer: Nathaniel Clyne takes an acrobatic tumble during the first half

Touch: Schneiderlin controls the ball under pressure from Robert Snodgrass during a quiet first half

England: Roy Hodgson (right) was in the stands to watch the likes of Luke Shaw and Adam Lallana

Shouting: Chris Hughton didn't look too pleased with his players during a lifeless first half

Steven
Davis, Rodriguez and Ramirez were all involved in the move, with the
latter playing a wonderfully weighted ball through for Schneiderlin to
turn past John Ruddy.

Davis
glanced a header wide soon after the Frenchman's 10th goal for Saints,
before Joseph Yobo used his strength and experience to stop Rodriguez
getting a shot away after latching onto a fine Lallana pass.

James
Ward-Prowse did well to stop Gary Hooper capitalising on defensive
confusion in a rare moment of respite for Norwich, who soon saw Davis
and Ramirez come close from the edge of the box.

Referee
Kevin Friend waved away appeals from Norwich's players for handball
against Jose Fonte on the edge of the Saints box. Eight City players
surrounded the referee in the next break of play, which was soon
followed by Hooper wasting Norwich's best chance of the half by firing
into the side-netting.

Davis
was booked for a strong challenge on Martin Olsson as frustrations
began to come to the surface, with the Norwich full-back involving in a
tussle with Rodriguez soon after.

Anthony
Pilkington was booked for attempting to turn in a Hooper cross with his
arm and Southampton fans became audibly frustrated with Artur Boruc's
poor kicking as half-time approached.

The Poland goalkeeper continued to look shaky when play resumed, although Saints were back in the ascendancy.

Ward-Prowse
forced Ruddy into action with a 25-yard strike, before the teenager
sent in a corner which Rodriguez nodded just wide.

Staying cool: Rickie Lambert increases Southampton's lead in the second half

Tumble: Dejan Lovren (left) takes a flyer as he scraps for the ball in the second half

Data courtesy of EA SPORTS, Official Sports Technology Partner of the Premier League

In
an attempt to put the match to bed, Pochettino surprisingly withdrew
captain Lallana after 57 minutes - but it reaped immediate rewards.

Fonte's
long ball was flicked on as Ramirez put pressure on the Norwich
defence, with the ball falling kindly for Lambert, who turned past Yobo
and slotted impressively past Ruddy.

The goal saw Hughton take drastic action, bringing on Elmander, Nathan Redmond and Ricky van Wolfswinkel in the 65th minute.

However,
Saints soon pulled further ahead. Ruddy did wonderfully to deny
substitute Guly do Prado, but the rebound fell for Lambert to flick onto
Rodriguez to net.

The
England forward rattled the crossbar with an incredible long-range
effort and Ruddy denied Lambert as Saints looked to pull further ahead,
before Norwich launched an improbable comeback.

With
85 minutes on the clock, a wayward Fonte backpass fell kindly for
Elmander and the on-loan striker slotted coolly past Boruc.

A minute later and more sloppy Saints play saw Norwich further reduce the deficit.

This time Guly was the guilty party, losing possession as Van Wolfswinkel tested Boruc and Snodgrass struck home the rebound.

It
was an ending few could have predicted and, having held on following an
injury to Dejan Lovren, Saints broke to put the game out of sight. A
slip from Yobo saw Davis race through and square for teenager Gallagher,
whose shot crossed the line before it was hacked away.

Work ethic: Jay Rodriguez puts in some useful defensive work as he heads the ball away from a corner